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September 22, 2018: Michigan Hunting and Fishing Day

WHEREAS, Michigan has a rich and storied tradition of hunting and angling, which dates back further than the state itself and carries forward to this day; and,

WHEREAS, Michigan’s sportsmen and women were among the first conservationists to support the establishment of the Michigan Department of Natural Resources to conserve fish, wildlife and their habitat and, through their license fees, helped fund state efforts to provide for healthy and sustainable natural resources; and,

WHEREAS, to this day, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources is funded primarily by sportsmen and women through this American System of Conservation Funding, a “user pays, public benefits” approach that is widely recognized as the most successful model of fish and wildlife management in the world; and,

WHEREAS, last year alone, Michigan’s sportsmen and women generated over $100 million through this system to support the conservation efforts of the Michigan Department of Natural Resources; and,

WHEREAS, Michigan’s nearly 2 million hunters and anglers support the state’s economy through spending more than $4.8 billion annually while engaged in their pursuits; and,

WHEREAS, this spending supports over 72,000 jobs in Michigan and generates $576 million in state and local taxes; and,

WHEREAS, National Hunting and Fishing Day was established in 1972 to celebrate and recognize hunters and anglers for their immense contributions to fish and wildlife conservation and to our society;